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Thames for Nation Building: Philippine Skills Framework Project

Thames Admin July 16, 2021 Community 0

Thames for Nation Building: Philippine Skills Framework Project

by: Amidala Mallari, Thames International Undergraduate Student

An inclusive and innovative workforce strategy awaits multiple industries with the launch of the Philippines Skills Framework on June 25, 2021. With the goal of instilling mastery and lifelong learning among workers in the country, Thames International plays a major role in this project, showing its commitment to learning and nation-building.  It is the Philippine private sector partner of the Department of Trade and Industry and Philippine Trade Training Center in developing the Philippine Skills Framework (PSF), and particularly, the PSF for Supply Chain and Logistics. 

Several Thames personnel lent their expertise to the development of the Philippines Skills Framework for Supply Chain and Logistics. Their number includes Thames President Joel Santos as one of the consultants, Leah Macatangay as a champion, Norman Adriano as a contextualizer, Joedy Liza Cruel, Sheila Dingcong, Rechilda Ulili, and Carlo Rivera as facilitators, and Joannalyn Tolentino, Dian Crisostomo-Reyes, and Emmanuel Santos as scribes. In the span of six months, the teams have worked vigorously to ensure that the competencies included in the framework are held at the utmost standard for the improvement of work quality and productivity in the field. Thames’ contribution to this is a display of its adherence to  building students who are prepared to excel in the real world, equipped with the essential skills to thrive amidst the competitive fourth industrial revolution.

Other industries to be prioritized in this project are Construction, IT-BPM, Tourism, Food, Health and Wellness, Manufacturing, and Creative Industries. According to DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, the learning framework is refreshed every two years to ensure that workers are equipped with the skills and knowledge demanded of the times. This development will respond to the need for improving technical and generic skills and competencies critical for work requirements and particular occupations.

Multiple government sectors have joined this initiative, including the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Labor and Employment, and Department of Science and Technology. There is institutional support from Singapore such as Accelebator,   Singapore Institute of Materials Management, and several others.

The huge advantage that the PSF-Supply Chain and Logistics provides resulted in an overwhelming positive response from stakeholders.  Ms. Nenette Dagondon, Chairperson of Professional Regulations Commission-Board for Custom Brokers, lauded the framework for being a guide for individuals who opt to upgrade their careers, and is a valuable resource for self-sustainability and better employability. Mr. Alfredo Yatco, President of Custom Bonded Warehouse Operators Confederation, Inc., shared his sincere gratitude to all individuals and organizations involved in the project, saying that this will initiate job-matching activities in the academic field and such output will be productive and felt in the years ahead. 

 

Thames International envisions a society with leaders and professionals who excel no matter what the circumstance is. It is committed to a pedagogy that highlights the importance of real world practice and experience for the improvement of the future. If you want to get in touch with us for any collaboration, please message us through inquire@thames.edu.ph

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FLEX Programs: Reinventing Education

Thames Admin July 1, 2021 Community 0

FLEX Programs: Reinventing Education

by Ivan Andrew C. Combalicer, Thames International Undergraduate Student

The pandemic has proven that we are living in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) world. Many educational institutions are still struggling to cope and adjust with this “new normal”. Thames International has always been committed to create a new order of entrepreneurs and professionals by equipping them with the essential skills needed to survive in this VUCA world.

The official training arm of the Department of Education for public school teachers, the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP), has authorized Thames International to implement the FLEX programs. This includes three programs: FLEX2LEAD (for school leaders), FLEX2EDUCATE (for Master Teachers), and FLEX2LEARN (basic course for all educators). All of these programs are being conducted online to train and teach school leaders and teachers to adapt to 21st Century Education.

The first batch of FLEX2LEAD happened on May 24 to June 4 and gained 650 participants. The FLEX2LEARN Batch 1 gained 3,070 participants when it was implemented last June 16 up to June 18. On the other hand, the FLEX2LEARN for K-3 Rollout to the rest of NCR will happen this July, and is estimated to have 23,000 participants.

Although these programs are still on-going, it has received a lot of positive feedback from the participants. Many were thankful for the knowledge and experience they gained from the programs. Participants shared the following feedback:

“This course has greatly helped us to gain new learnings and meet optimistic people in the field. The platform used was great, I enjoyed doing the activities and was guided well in the accomplishment of outputs. It was a great learning experience! Kudos to the Thames team and God bless!  Hope to be involved in more courses with you!”. 

“Flex2Lead reminded school leaders the importance of being proactive with change. It encouraged us to revisit our current processes and to figure out how they may be improved. Ideas shared by the speakers and the participants allowed us to consider as well to be truly in touch with the realities of the schools we run and to start taking actions so we could respond to the challenges at hand.” 

“A million thanks to Thames for this one of a kind training. In every activity you prepared for us, we really did a lot of self-reflection on the kind of leaders we are, and certainly, we are now more confident on the decisions that we will be making in the future considering all the takeaways from this FLEX2LEAD. With all the thoughts the experts shared during the live sessions, we will never go wrong.  #ParaSaBata”

Other participants were also happy as the programs gave them the opportunity to reflect on how they can improve themselves as leaders and the education system as a whole for the benefit of our younger generations of learners. 

In the end, DepEd NCR Regional Director Wilfredo Cabral mentioned in his message to the participants, “I am positive that whatever learning you can gain from this training will be put into a concrete plan of action for next school year and hopefully the mindset will be more proactive and sensitive to the needs of our learners, parents and other stakeholders.”

This pandemic is one of the toughest times every institution was put into. With the commitment and help of Thames International, we will all rise together from this difficult situation. If you are interested in making a positive impact on society, contact the school via inquire@thames.edu.ph.  

Thames International is committed to building a new order for the world by giving talented students and entrepreneurs the tools to thrive and lead the way in a world beset by rapid change. If you’re interested in augmenting your skills and making connections with some of the brightest minds in business education today, please take a look at our future-proof undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

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Exploring Global Possibilities: A Singapore-Philippines Entrepreneur Matching Event

Thames Admin June 24, 2021 Community 0

Exploring Global Possibilities: A Singapore-Philippines Entrepreneur Matching Event 

by: Hannah Magdangal, Thames International Undergraduate Student

Thames International, in an effort to open more doors to business opportunities and further scale its entrepreneurship degree, took the initiative to provide business and networking opportunities with Singapore through an online Entrepreneur matching event. Last June 3, 2021, along with Temasek-Polytechnic, a post-secondary academic institution from Tampines, Singapore, Thames hosted this virtual event in which five start-ups from Temasek-Polytechnic  exhibited their businesses in the hope of exploring business opportunities and gaining partners in the Philippines. The exhibitors hailed from various industries, namely Creative (livestreaming), Food and Beverage, Green Energy (fuel cells), and E-commerce:

ProdG

ProdG is a business put up by livestreamers whose experience goes far and wide, with a history in events planning and organization for the esports industry, and have a clear understanding of the struggle that comes with executing a quality live online event. To streamline the requirements and live-editing process that are part of live streaming, ProdG offers a consolidated production and optimization tool that automates the rigorous, time- and energy-consuming processes to get the job done with efficiency. ProdG looks to expand and offer their solutions to more businesses in need, and hopes to find resellers and partners in the Philippines and penetrate our growing esports and livestreaming industry.

To connect with and learn more about ProdG, their LinkedIn account is linked here.

Asmara

An award-winning beverage brand, Asmara is a Singapore-based company that uses science and food technology to incorporate traditional chinese, indonesian and indian medicine into natural beverages, tea blends, and powders, advocating for healthy and quality living. All their products are developed and tested by certified food scientists, and proven to be 100% natural. Asmara looks to connect with potential distributors, explore possible co-branding initiatives, and offer consulting services to businesses with aligned objectives in the Philippines.

To connect with and learn more about Asmara, their Facebook Page is linked here.

Bhai Tea

The owner of Bhai Tea has been making tea since 1965. He has been distributing his tea all around Singapore since the early 80s, and has since been grinding and mixing different blends in countries such as Africa, Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia. From years of work and experience, he has been able to come up with an extravagant recipe for what is believed to be the perfect blend. Bhai Tea is currently looking for partners in the Philippines who may be looking to start their own tea business in the country.

To connect with and learn more about Bhai Tea, their Facebook Page is linked here.

ThriveLive

In an increasingly ‘digital’ era where technology has become a necessity when it comes to fulfilling everyday tasks, ThriveLive aims to contribute through providing the same convenience in the e-commerce scene. There is an upward trend in the utilization of livestreaming in e-commerce, and ThriveLive provides a platform, through an app, that allows business-to-business and business-to-consumer systems an augmented experience that conveniently aggregates all livestream sales, and they are working to branch out through increasing brand awareness, finding Philippines-based partners and offering their service to the country.

To connect with and learn more about ThriveLive, their Facebook Page is linked here.

Duralite Power

Addressing the growing demand for long-endurance clean energy, Duralite Power works to address this through the utilization of fuel cell and hydrogen power. Their core competency revolves around developing lightweight, compact and power dense air-cooled hydrogen fuel cells suitable for drones, light mobility and range extender application. Duralite Power is currently looking for places where they can do pilot testing as well as joint venture opportunities with Philippine companies that are of aligned interests with clean energy.

To connect with and learn more about Duralite Power, their website is linked here. 

Temasek Polytechnic is an institute of higher learning in Singapore heavily focused on industry-related programs. Thames is widely recognized for its foreign degree options in the UK, Australia, and Singapore. With a similar objective of empowering startup entrepreneurs, Thames maximizes its resources to provide its students with such opportunities to discover opportunities both locally and abroad. Through events like these, doors are opened to various business and networking possibilities. 

The panelists included Thames administrators and lecturers: Adolf Aran, who holds extensive experience in the food and beverage industry, Mark Meily in the creative side, Joedy Cruel in e-commerce, and Eduardo Silva in entrepreneurship. Their presence allowed pitchers to gain more insight into their businesses with regard to how they may improve and the overall efficacy of their models in the Philippine scene. 

“It was a very exciting event where we got to witness start-ups from Temasek Polytechnic do their pitches. It’s useful for students like me because we got to learn from their business ideas and models, especially that I also want to start my own venture. It was also a unique idea wherein students from Thames had the opportunity to reach out to students from the said international community allowing us to expand our connections despite being in an online learning environment.”, said Amidala, a Thames undergraduate student. By and large, the event was one that provided a great deal of value, which Thames actively works to provide its community.

 

Thames International is committed to building a new order for the world by giving talented students and entrepreneurs the tools to thrive and lead the way in a world beset by rapid change. If you’re interested in augmenting your skills and making connections with some of the brightest minds in business education today, please take a look at our future-proof undergraduate and postgraduate programs. For any inquiries about our programs or projects, feel free to message us via inquire@thames.edu.ph

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Safety is Critical: A Safe Management Webinar for Community Pantry Organizers and Volunteers

Thames Admin May 17, 2021 Community 0

Safety is Critical: A Safe Management Webinar for Community Pantry Organizers and Volunteers

by Ivan Andrew C. Combalicer, Thames International Undergraduate Student

In every dispiriting situation, it is important to see the silver lining. In spite of the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipinos managed to share hope by organizing community pantries. Thames International, in accordance with its vision of helping to build a new order, conducted a free webinar last May 4, 2021, focused on teaching community pantry organizers, volunteers, and supporters the safe management that will ensure the sustainability of community pantries amidst this pandemic.  

The president and co-founder of Thames International, Joel Santos, welcomed more than a hundred participants and gave an overview of the current situation of the Philippines in terms of hunger. The number of people who are experiencing severe hunger has tripled since the beginning of the pandemic. According to him, community pantries are solving a social and economic problem, and that is the reason why he is determined to help those people who are helping others.

After the welcome message, Adolf Aran, a food and restaurant business expert, explained the basic principles of proper food handling including the 3Ws (Wear mask, Watch distance, and Wash hands) and the areas of food safety.

He was followed by Norman Adriano, a supply chain management consultant and trainer, and the current program chair of the Business Administration Program at Thames International. He discussed effective crowd management, the importance of appointing a safe distancing officer, and an efficient logistics system.

Two community pantry organizers were called to share their experiences running a community pantry. Noel Adriano, the organizer in Bankers Village City in Caloocan, said that after hearing about the Maginhawa Community Pantry, he and his family took the initiative to organize one as well. The other organizer of the Eastwood Community Pantry, Mia Howell, had a hard time finding a place for their planned community pantry. Fortunately, Thames International opened its campus so they could have a venue to use.

The webinar received positive feedback from the participants. One of them commented, “Thank you for giving us a very meaningful and timely discussion that can help us to be a more effective Community Pantry Manager.”  Overall, the webinar gained an almost 97% satisfaction rate from the participants. 

Community pantries are solving major problems caused by the pandemic. Thames is grateful for the opportunity to guide those who are sharing hope in these challenging times. 

Thames International is committed to building a new order for the world by giving talented students and entrepreneurs the tools to thrive and lead the way in a world beset by rapid change. If you’re interested in augmenting your skills and making connections with some of the brightest minds in business education today, please take a look at our future-proof undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

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Art in Asia: The ICE-Penang Program

Thames Admin April 19, 2021 News 0

Art in Asia: The ICE-Penang Program 

by: Amidala Mallari, Thames International Undergraduate Student

The world will always be volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. This was a hard truth that people around the globe faced when the pandemic hit. For Thames International, one of the ways to remain steadfast despite the unpredictability is by making practical education in various fields accessible to stakeholders. Making this vision a reality is among the hopes of Thames for the future, and the reason that birthed its Innovation and Creative Entrepreneurship-Penang Art District Program.

Thames International’s Innovation and Creative Entrepreneurship program, also known as ICE,  was first established in the Philippines in 2018. It uses cutting edge pedagogy to address a broad range of creative business needs while considering the realities of the world today. In January 2021, Thames International started the ICE-Penang Program in collaboration with Penang Art District, Malaysia’s home for emerging artists, to extend this new take on learning to creatives in Asia and help them thrive in the new normal.

One of the many features of the ICE-Penang Program, which is facilitated by ICE Program Director Gian Carlo De Jesus, Thames International Managing Director TJ Parpan, and ICE Program Manager Kat Mallillin, is its tailored-fit design that allows graphic designers, performing artists, directors, and more, to immediately implement learnings into their existing businesses and creative projects.

The program maximizes blended methodologies such as phenomenon-based and flipped classroom approaches, design thinking, and game-based simulations to encourage collaboration among participants. Industry practitioners from a participant’s locality are invited to serve as coaches who can provide relevant mentorship due to their familiarity with the creative pursuit. All this is done while instilling the values of collaboration, resilience, and community, which are all needed to sustain a successful creative economy. 

As the ICE-Penang’s first batch came to a close in March, Stephanie Kee, one of Penang Art District’s Project Executives, expressed her delight at how the program concluded. Participants were given the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to guest panelists Rhea Matute, Executive Director of the Design Centre of the Philippines, and Colin Goh, Executive Director of Millet Holdings Singapore, who in the end supported one of the presenters, Little Door Festival, in securing a deal from a target sponsor. Stephanie shared her appreciation for Thames’ localized take on the creative industry, as it led to a wonderful journey for passionate and creative individuals strengthening their skills and knowledge in the field. 

The program garnered positive feedback from participants. Rupa Subramaniam from Storyteller Studios said “The relationship between the students and mentors felt as if we were equals. The tools provided to us still allowed us to personalize them to our unique business needs. We all got stronger confidence in voicing our ideas, voicing our products, and presenting them with strong data.” Another student, Koe Gaik Cheng from Little Door Festival added: “The ICE Program helped us to identify all the dots and connect them. The pledge of support we received today is just a bonus from the learnings we received.“

With the success of ICE-Penang Program, Thames International is looking into starting another ASEAN cohort by the end of May this year. For any inquiries, contact ICE Program Manager Kat Mallillin via kmallillin@thames.edu.ph or visit Thames ICE Program for more information. Along with Thames, let us altogether use the impact of practical education in various fields for thriving, pivoting, and navigating the uncertainties of the world we live in.

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The Entrepreneurial Spirit vs. The COVID-19 Pandemic

Thames Admin April 15, 2021 Community 0

The Entrepreneurial Spirit vs. The COVID-19 Pandemic

by: Ivan Andrew C. Combalicer, Thames International Undergraduate Student

The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously impacted most businesses all over the world. The global nightmare made it seem scary to take risks and see opportunities. But some entrepreneur students of Thames International took that risk and succeeded despite the struggles of this pandemic.

Last April 8, 2021,  Thames Entrepreneurial Network conducted their second Ten Talks event. This event allowed the members of the organization to showcase their businesses and share how they overcame the challenges they faced from this pandemic.

The first entrepreneur student to share was the co-founder of Everything Art, Audrey Dela Cruz. What started as a coping mechanism from this pandemic, Audrey Dela Cruz and her sister saw their talent in painting, sketching, and journaling as a business opportunity. Having no experience in the art business, it was a challenge for them to sell arts and crafts. They managed to overcome this problem through market research. They also had difficulty in managing their time as they were both students, and Audrey is an employee of her parents, but with proper scheduling, they managed to get through.

The second to present was The Belly Star, managed by Mikaela Veloso. The Belly Star provides Filipino-inspired flavored Lechon bellies that give customers a new experience. They started in 2015 by taking potluck orders and it grew as the demand for it increase through word of mouth. During this pandemic, the inflation of pork and other ingredients they use has caused them to increase the price of their Lechon belly. Like Audrey, Mikaela is also having a hard time juggling her responsibilities as a student, head of a school organization, and business owner. This pandemic also stops her from getting The Belly Star registered.  Despite all these, she is still determined to continue her business and provide people with Lechon bellies that are crispy on the outside, but juicy and tasty on the inside.

Next to present was Mikhaella Lejano, the woman who runs El Cocina Ph–, a home-based business that fuses international street food with a touch of Filipino taste starting with Mexico’s Birria Tacos. It took them weeks to find the perfect taste for the Filipino market. The inflation of the ingredients they use, and managing her responsibilities are some of the challenges she faces. Nonetheless, Ella Lejano still makes sure that she still meets all of her duties. She started the business on July 25, 2020, and has continued to thrive until now.

“Everyone deserves a safe and loving home.” This was the statement of Chesarah Cordova,  the owner of CLC Apartments, located near Marcos Highway in the vicinity of the Kingsville Subdivision. Chesarah aims to provide people a safe and modernized living environment through her business. Operations were postponed at the beginning of the pandemic but fortunately, they managed to continue mid-year. They also had to buy the lot in front of the apartment just so they could build a parking lot for their tenants. They have solar panels which can cut the electricity cost by 60%.

Lastly, Joshua Balasbas shared the business he has been planning to launch soon– Amoy Kape. Noting the stress this pandemic has been causing, Joshua aims to help ease people’s worries through his coffee-scented candles. The candles are made from 100% soy and come with the scents of Roasted Coffee, Coffee Peppermint, Coffee Cinnamon. Joshua is planning to launch his business this April. 

Before the event ended, Entrepreneurship Program Chair Miss Joedy Cruel, who is also the adviser of Thames Entrepreneurial Network, surprised everyone by giving recognition to the most outstanding student venture for the year 2020– El Cocina Ph. This award is given to the business that has the highest sales throughout the year. The event ended successfully as it made the viewers inspired and proud of their fellow students who used their entrepreneurial spirit to face the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thames International is committed to building a new order for the world by giving talented students and entrepreneurs the tools to thrive and lead the way in a world beset by rapid change. If you’re interested in augmenting your skills and making connections with some of the brightest minds in business education today, please take a look at our future-proof undergraduate degree programs.

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Behind-the-Scenes: Deconstructing The Final Pitch Heroes Edition with Investor-Judge Joel Santos

Thames Admin April 13, 2021 Community 0

Behind-the-Scenes: Deconstructing The Final Pitch Heroes Edition with Investor-Judge Joel Santos

by: Hannah Magdangal, Thames International Undergraduate Student

“That’s what I’d like to contribute to The Final Pitch: to give you a mindset of how to pivot and move from setback to comeback.”, said Mr. Joel Santos, President and Co-founder of Thames International Business School, during his interview with the business reality TV show, The Final Pitch. Putting up a business is no easy feat even when not in the midst of a global pandemic. How can we rise above the pitfalls and emerge with a renewed sense of hope for a future beyond the unfortunate events of the present? 

We are in dire need of solutions and change enforcers who will take action. By hosting live sessions to discuss and deconstruct the pitches from each episode, Mr. Santos provided participants with the opportunity to expand their industry knowledge with a more in-depth understanding of what happens in the show – taking them a step closer towards becoming tomorrow’s changemakers.

In the virtual sessions, clips of Final Pitch episodes preceded a comprehensive discussion about a whole range of topics, ranging from what it is that made the pitches effective to how simple changes could have landed better offers, and even the kind of useful information to have prepared beforehand. Mr. Santos imparted professional knowledge and personal opinions, answering questions and equipping participants with the right tools to deliver an effective and impactful pitch. The sessions were engaging, fun, and informative all at once – with one of the show’s participants, Paolo Herras, a Thames ICE Program Alumnus, even joined the discussion.

Being able to deliver a pitch that is impactful and well prepared not only leaves a lasting impression, but fast-tracks the success of a business. The fruitful sessions left participants with knowledge, concepts, and professional insights they can bring with them wherever they go. Thames student Dani Marcelino said, “It helps build confidence in us in the knowledge that we’d know exactly what to do, what to look at, when the time comes.” 

As an aspiring entrepreneur myself, the values I have gained are ones that I will be able to bring with me going forward, growing my own business and further navigating my way through the industry. The sessions have left a lasting impact on me, as I am certain they did everyone else, and I look forward to the ones to come.

With guidance from professionals and industry experts, Thames International continuously provides an avenue for students to cultivate their entrepreneurial spirit and become change enforcers making a positive impact into the world. Check out these future-proof programs to know more. 

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“Thank You, Thames!”: A Christmas Community Gathering

Thames Admin December 18, 2020 Community 0

“Thank You, Thames!”: An Online Christmas Community Gathering

by: Amidala Mallari, Thames Undergraduate Student

Earlier today, Dec 18, 2020,  the student organizations of Thames International, led by the Business Leaders’ Society, successfully hosted “Thank You, Thames!: A Christmas Community Gathering”, in celebration of this year’s holiday season. 

Despite having restraints on how one could celebrate the holidays in the new normal, the organizers ensured that the true spirit of Christmas is remembered, as the program was filled with activities that spark joy, love, and gratitude. Officially starting the event was BLS President Yana De Villa’s opening remarks, saying that even now, each one of us has something worth being grateful for, as we are all safe and alive. This was followed by Thames International President Joel Santos as he thanked all professors, students, and staff for their unwavering dedication in teaching, learning, and giving effort despite their own personal matters and hardships. According to him, by giving back and looking beyond ourselves, the community will surely make it through these times. 

Moving forward, everyone was encouraged to compose “Thank You” notes for the members of the community, expressing their gratitude to them during this challenging year. Excitement aroused from the audience as they participated in several games prepared by the Thames Entrepreneurial Network and Thames Sports and Fitness organizations. Afterwards, the room was left mesmerized by the amazing  performance of Jennien Jose, Thames Communicators President. The program then proceeded to its main highlight, which is a gift-giving drive launched by the Business Leaders’ Society as a way of extending the community’s appreciation for the unending hard work of the school’s utility personnel. Concluding the program was the presentation of the community’s rendition of 12 Days of Christmas, with several members from the faculty, administrators, students, and staff singing harmoniously together signifying that the Thames Community strongly remains as one, despite the challenges faced in this tough year.

Members of the community shared their positive and welcoming feedback for the school’s first virtual Christmas gathering. For Ms. Jessica Baldoza of Student Services, “Although I’m still missing the usual Christmas party, the love and presence of Christmas was present in the virtual celebration—and that’s good enough.” For Mr. Alan Parma, Thames International Professor,  “Thank you for the online Christmas party. It was nice to see everyone together, teachers, admin, and students alike. I had fun during the various segments, and I think everyone did as well. I felt like the organizers were also trained to conduct online classes, using external tools like Padlet and using a combination of slides and pre recorded videos. Good job on keeping it moving and keeping it around 1 hour.”

Now, as this time of the year kicks in, let us remember that the real essence of the holidays is rooted in giving to others and showing our gratitudes, may it be in small or big things. Again, we thank you, Thames, and may this tradition of using our opportunities to help the communities we belong to live on, Christmas season or not. 

Thames International takes pride in having a tight-knit community that aims to mold pathfinders who are concerned about the holistic improvement of society. Find out more about our tight knit community here.

You can also watch Thames International’s Christmas Community song below, where members of the school community did a cover of “12 Days of Christmas” to send out a message of hope for everyone, especially in this very challenging year 2020.

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No Pain, No “Grain”

Thames Admin December 4, 2020 News 0

No Pain, No “Grain”

by: Hannah Magdangal and Nico Belasco, Thames Undergraduate Students

Responding to the plight of Filipino farmers, Yana de Villa, a third year graduating student at Thames International majoring in Marketing Management, co-founded Lively Grains in 2019 and has since been working to change lives for the better. A responsible student-leader-entrepreneur, she joined the 2020 Global Student Entrepreneurship Awards (GSEA) by the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Philippines last November 25, and represented her growing social enterprise, Lively Grains, as one of the Top 6 student-entrepreneurs who were in the running to represent the country in the international GSEA with participants from 37 different countries all over the globe.  

The EO GSEA is the premier global competition for students who own and operate a business. Aiming to contribute to the greater entrepreneurial ecosystem and make a difference in the lives of student-entrepreneurs, the GSEA envisions a world where they become the world’s most influential change-makers. Their objective is to empower student-entrepreneurs and have an impact on entrepreneurship worldwide. Through providing them support by way of mentorship, recognition, and growing their network so that they may take their business to the next level, the mission of the GSEA is to give these student-entrepreneurs the opportunity to accelerate their success, change the status quo, and connect to an instrumental peer group to make the greatest impact possible in their own communities. 

“Our advocacy is to help uplift the lives of our farmers,” says Yana, discussing her frustration over the difficulties experienced by the very individuals whose labor provides for the majority of what we consume on the daily.

Yana’s pitch left a lasting impact on judges and viewers alike, as she shed light on problems many people in agriculture face and offered feasible solutions.  Her passion shone through as she presented facts and figures that supported her purpose-driven business.  Though she did not take home the major title, she walked away with supporters and believers in Lively Grains, who saw the potential in her venture.

 

     “It was nerve-wracking and of course I wanted to represent the school the best way I can. I think having ambition is what got me through the whole process, and feeling the support of the entire Thames community helped keep me going,” she said when asked about her experience. 

Age need not be an issue when starting a business, as JP Tuason, founder of Tuason Racing School, said when he hosted the GSEA competition. Yana is living proof and knows it: “My school, Thames International, has taught us that students can be entrepreneurs while still in college.

With the guidance of industry professionals and experts, Thames continuously molds student-entrepreneurs, staying true to their mission in bringing a new order of business owners who are hungry for social change and wish to make a positive impact on the world around them.  Check out these future-proof programs to know more. 

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Steady Hands: Writing Workshop for Thames Copywriters

Thames Admin December 2, 2020 Community 0

Steady Hands: Writing Workshop for Thames Copywriters

by: Ivan Andrew Combalicer, Thames Undergraduate Student

Mr. Carlo Rivera, the Communication Program Chair of Thames International School and the facilitator of the workshop for Thames Copywriters opened “Steady Hands: Communicating in 2020 and Beyond” last November 27, 2020, with the statement: “The Communications course is one of the most powerful tools we have for changing the world.”

Providing clear information is a huge responsibility for every communicator in the age of the pandemic, as information dissemination influences and changes mindsets en masse. The COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity for Thames copywriters to write news articles and stories that offer the public insight into what Thames International has to offer. The workshop answered the question of how Thames copywriters can effectively communicate and promote Thames International?

The workshop began with a “Fake News” icebreaker in which participants told two truths and a lie about themselves, and then had a lot of fun guessing which was which. After that, Mr. Rivera discussed the guidelines for the articles that will be assigned to the copywriters. He informed them that each copywriter will be given a week to write his or her article. He also gave advance warning that there will be instances where the copywriters will be asked to write on short notice. He reminded the copywriters to include testimonials and quotations to help readers feel what the article is about. 

After providing guidelines, Mr. Rivera asked everyone, “What is the hardest part of writing?”. Dani Marcelino, a sophomore, answered “The hardest part of writing is translating emotions into writing so that your readers are able to feel it.”. Mr. Rivera advised her to make the audience feel it, instead of telling them how to feel. He followed it up with, “Engineer the situation so that the emotions arise naturally.”. Other copywriters like Amidala Mallari and Monica Joslyn claimed that the hardest part is starting to write especially when there is no inspiration. Mr. Rivera suggested that they should not wait for inspiration to come especially if the given timeframe is short. He continued by saying that the secret is to “write something that sucks and then edit it until it doesn’t suck.”

Hannah Magdangal was also given the chance to share her sentiments on the idea of having to write a perfect first draft at instant. Mr. Rivera urged everyone to fail forward and just continue writing because “the alternative to failing is not trying”. He also said, “Sucking at something is step one of being awesome at it.”. 

Mr. Rivera ended the workshop with the announcement that more success stories will be written by the Thames Copywriters, so they should start learning how to interview. He also left a well-meaning pat-on-the-back reminder to the Thames copywriters that they are not alone, and can expect extraordinary support in these extraordinary times. 

Thames International is committed to building a new order for the world by giving talented students and entrepreneurs the tools to thrive and lead the way in a world beset by rapid change. If you’re interested in augmenting your skills and making connections with some of the brightest minds in business education today, please take a look at our future-proof undergraduate and postgraduate programs.